Today's Opinions

Rules have always been essential to sports, society and the economy. Regulation is the process of using rules. As with any process, a focus on efficiency pays off.
Big-time tennis nowadays settles disputed line calls with a tool called Hawk-Eye. In 10 seconds, the system’s computer reconstructs the ball’s flight from sets of camera data and shows the line and landing spot on the big screen. Fans cheer for the gee whiz verdict and tennis resumes.
In the old days, a close line call was the start of John McEnroe’s barking infamies at the chair umpire in three-minute-long tirades. Remember?
The McEnroe model still reigns in the regulatory world. In stark contrast, efficiency depends on Hawk-Eye ideas.

I have never met a mom who wasn’t working - or any other woman for that matter. More than ever before women are handling their own or their family’s finances. It’s not about what you have; it’s what you do with it to secure your future.
We all have unique needs and resources, but everyone wants to protect what they’ve worked so hard to acquire. It’s all about taking what you have, making the most of it, and building a solid financial future that is uniquely yours.
A woman has different financial needs than a man. Everyone must face the good news that women live longer and the potentially bad news that they will spend more years in retirement than the last generation.

It is no accident that aspiring GOP presidential candidates are focused on our economy — or rather what needs to be done to get it back into good shape.
Almost three years into a devastating recession, precipitated by the mortgage loan debacle of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and made worse by the fiscally irresponsible policies of both the congress and Obama administration, there has been very little recovery.
And the painful consequences of lost jobs, reduced wages and a problematic future for millions of Americans are hurting people in ways unimaginable just three years ago.
I’ve been heard to say publicly that free markets routinely rise and recede, and that politicians don’t really create jobs, businesses do.

A community working together can accomplish amazing things, and LA Cares is grateful. On Saturday, May 7, the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Boy Scouts of America teamed up for the semi-annual Help Stamp Out Hunger food collection.
With support from the Postal Service – mailing the postcard reminders, use of trucks and facilities – the carriers picked up bags of food left on mailboxes along their routes, and delivered them for sorting.

Forty million dollars is a lot to spend in the name of improving the “safety” of Trinity Drive.
When I was in business school, I was taught to use cost/benefit analysis when looking at a proposed expenditure.
I would like to know if there is an estimate for the reduction in lives lost or bodily injury crashes so that we can see what we will get for $40 million.
It seems that few towns are able to spend that kind of money, but thousands more are providing appropriate safety for their residents and visitors in a cost effective fashion without roundabouts every half mile.
It is clear that Trinity Drive could use significant rehabilitation, but I am sure that could be done for a lot less.

It has now been almost a month and a-half since former Gov. Gary Johnson announced his candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, yet it’s still unclear why he’s running.
A Gallup poll last week attempted to measure the name recognition among rank and file Republicans of the real or rumored potential candidates for the party’s nomination.
Johnson came in dead last, trailing even a former pizza chain executive, Herman Cain, who recently made it official that he also seeks the GOP nomination.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy Memorial Day! Have a wonderful Fourth of July and a great Mother’s Day!
What’s that you say? Memorial Day has passed us by and it’s not July yet?
Well, why must our lives be so regulated that we can only celebrate something on a single day? There’s no law against giving your sweetheart a box of chocolates in June.
If you feel patriotic, wave the flag and stoke up that barbeque in December. Send your mother a card every month telling her how much you love her. And seriously, is there any good reason to only celebrate Isaac Newton’s birthday just once a year?
Okay, so maybe we don’t want kids randomly showing up at our doorstep asking for candy every other weekend.

Susana-PAC has been formed to help elect courageous state and local leaders committed to the types of reforms that will move New Mexico forward.
We were all rather surprised when former Gov. Bill Richardson kept his political action committee going strong even after he won his second term as governor and dropped out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
But now Gov. Susana Martinez has taken the idea a step further. First she used leftover PAC money from her campaign to buy radio ads and make robocalls to promote her legislative agenda.
Now she has created a second PAC to help fund state and local candidates who agree with her issues. What are those issues?